Tetrahedron package with dispensing opening



June 12, 1962 H. A. RAUSING 3,038, 49

TETRAHEDRON PACKAGE WITH DISPENSING OPENING Filed March 14, 1961 HansAnders Raw/fig 11y BY 1 w e -021% 1% ATTORNEYS nited States Patent FFiled Mar. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 95,540 13 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The presentinvention relates to tetrahedron-shaped packages and more particularlyto an improved construction for dispensing the fluent contents in thepackage through an opening which can be easily formed in one wall of thepackage.

The invention is related in particular to tetrahedronshaped packagesmade from a flexible wall material and wherein the package,notwithstanding its flexible characteristic, has an essentiallyself-supporting, monocoque characteristic by which the package retainsits geometric shape. One suitable wall material is paper of substantialthickness and which is coated on one side with polyethylene or a similarplastic material, the package being soformed from the wall material thatthe polyethylene coating is located on the inside and in contact withthe fluent filling material. This plastic-lined package construction ismost important when the fluent filling material is a liquid since itserves well as a barrier layer to prevent the liquid from soaking intothe fibers of the paper.

It is known to provide various forms of dispensing openings through thewall of a self-supporting package such as, for example, involving use ofa hinged spout or the like mounted in the wall adjacent a corner of thepackage, and which can be shifted between a closed posi tion and anopen, pouring position. Another principle which has been adopted is toprovide a dispensing opening outlined by scoring the wall to aparticular configuration, and then rupturing and bending back the wallalong the score line.

It has been suggested that such a tetrahedron-shaped package be openedby tearing off one corner portion adjacent an end of one of the twomutually perpendicular sealing fins which characterize the end closuresof the package but this tearing expedient is not practical when it isdesired to establish the dispensing opening in one wall of the packagebecause of the presence of the plastic inner lining which is inherentlytough and resistant to rupturing forces. Use of a pouring spout is notpractical because of the relatively high cost involved.

In accordance with the present invention, the principal object is toprovide a novel construction for a dispensing opening in one wall of atetrahedron-shaped package which is economical to produce and yet iseasy to establish by the user.

The new and improved dispensing opening comprises a slit in the vicinityof an apex of the package, said slit extending completely through thepackage wall material and passing over two of the three tetrahedronedges meeting at said package apex, thereby to make possible depressingthe apex wall portion at said slit towards the third one of said threetetrahedron edges into a stable inwardly deformed position away from thepouring lip established by the slit.

Preferably, the ends of the slit are located so as to permit inwardbuckling of said apex wall portion at the slit along lines extendingfrom the adjacent package apex through said slit ends. Furthermore, theslit preferably is made symmetrical to each side of a bisector line tothe apex angle of the intermediate triangular wall wholly traversed bythe slit. To facilitate the inward deformation of the apex wall portionat the slit and to maintain the same in an in-folded position away fromthe pouring lip so as not to interfere with the dispensing operation,the package wall may be pre-creased or otherwise weakened along saidbiseotor line from the slit in 3,fi38,549 Patented June 12, 1962 thedirection of the apex and/or along those lines about which theinbuckling takes place and which preferably connect the package apex andeach of the slit ends.

The slit may have different configurations establishing a suitablepouring lip when depressing said apex wall portion at the slit, and twodifferent slit configurations are illustrated in the detaileddescription which is to follow. In one embodiment of the invention, theslit is curvilinear with the center of curvature being located in thedirection of the apex of the intermediate triangular wall entirelyspanned by the slit. In another embodiment, the slit is V-shaped andwith the point of the V facing away from the apex of said triangularwall.

In all embodiments, the slit is covered with an external seal the slitand strip adhesively secured to the package wall substantially torestore the initial mechanical properties of the package wall material.This strip is easily removable or rupturable to expose the slitpreparatory to a dispensing operation, and provides a hygienic wall areaadjacent to slit to prevent contamination of the contents as they arepoured from the opening.

In case the fluent filling material is a liquid and the package wallmaterial comprises a body layer of wicking properties, e.g. paper, and abarrier acting lining, the slit will expose two out edge faces of thebody layer Where the liquid may soak into the body layer. To avoid suchundesired soaking the invention provides means for isolating theinterior of the body layer at the slit from the liquid packaged.Preferably, such means comprises a material of barrier propertiesapplied to said body layer cut edges of the slit as a coating or animpregnation.

The principles of the invention and its advantages will become moreapparent from the following detailed description of two differentembodiments thereof and from the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 of the drawings is .a view in perspective of a substantiallyregular tetrahedron package provided with a dispensing opening and whichis covered by a sealing strip, the configuration of the slit beingcurvilinear;

FIG. 2 is a view at a larger scale showing only the apex portion of thetriangular side wall entirely traversed by the dispensing opening;

FIGURE 2a is 'a view similar to FIGURE 2 but with the sealing stripremoved;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the sealing strip removedand the dispensing opening established by deformation of the packageWall at the slit;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the sealing strip removed,showing a modified configuration for the slit, the latter being in theform of a V and with the point of the V facing away from the apex of thetriangular side wall entirely traversed by it.

With reference now to the drawings, the package is seen to be in theform of a substantially regular tetrahedron, i.e. a tetrahedron in whichthe four faces or walls thereof are constituted by substantiallyequilateral triangles. Three of the four faces are shown in the drawingand are designated by numerals 1-3.

One practical way for forming and filling packages of the foregoing typeis disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,741,079 granted April10, 1956 in the name of Ruben Reusing. In general, a Web of flexiblepackaging material such as paper coated on one side with a plasticmaterial, e.g. polyethylene, is formed into a tube with the plasticcoating on the inside, the tube is then filled with a fluent fillingmaterial which may be liquid or a pulverant, and the tetrahedron packageis then formed by flat-pressing and sealing along narrow zones in adirection transverse to the tube axis and in alternately one and theother of two mutually perpendicular planes. In the drawings, the paperis indicated at 4 and the plastic ice coating at 5, see FIG. 4. Theflat-pressed sealing zones at opposite ends of the package are indicatedat 6 and 7.

The tetrahedron package may be completely filled, but to less than itsmaximum volumetric capacity, or it may be only partially filled with apredetermined quantity of the fluent filling material.

In accordance with the invention, a tetrahedron package formed andfilled, for example, in the manner above described or in any othermanner found suitable, is provided with a dispensing opening which ischaracterized by a slit through the package wall, the slit being locatedin the vicinity of an apex of the package, and wherein the dispensingopening is established by deforming the package wall inwardly adjacentthe slit.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, which illustrate one practical embodiment of theinvention, the slit 3 through the package wall at the upper apex 9 ofthe package has an arouate configuration with the center of curvaturelocated in the direction of the apex and extends between the twotriangular walls 1 and 2 meeting at the adjacent sealing zone 6 entirelytraversing the intermediate triangular wall 3 and passing over the twotetrahedron edges connecting same to said two triangular walls 1 and 2having each a slit end (only one shown). The curvilinear slit 8 is seento be symmetrical to each side of a bisector line 11, see FIG. 2, of theintermediate triangular wall 3 extending from the apex 9 normal to thebase of the triangle. In order to facilitate forming of the dispensingopening, the wall of the package along the bisector line 11. ispreferably creased or otherwise weakened from the slit towards the apexso as to facilitate a folding inwardly of the apex wall portion 12 atthe slit 8 about the crease line, the latter being indicated at 13-.

The slit ends 10 (only one shown) being situated on the triangular walls1 and 2 meeting at the adjacent sealing zone 6, the apex wall portion 12at the slit 8 when depressed inwardly towards the sealing zone 6, willbuckle into substantially the opposite shape passing through an instableposition defined by an intermediate plane extending through the packageapex 9. To facilitate the inwardly buckling of the apex wall portion 12'the package wall is preferably creased or otherwise weakened from theslit 8 to the apex 9 along the lines of intersection between suchintermediate plane and the package wall, such buckling crease lines(only one) being indicated at 14. These buckling crease lines 14 mayreplace the crease line 13, if desired. Preferably, the slit ends 10 aresituated in said intermediate buckling plane (shown by dotand-dash linein FIG. 4) the buckling crease lines 14 connecting them with the packageapex 9.

In order substantially to restore the initial mechanical properties ofthe unslitted package Wall material, the slit 8 and that portion of thepackage wall which borders it is covered by an external strip 15adhesively secured to the package wall.

The strip 15 may be wholly or partly easily removable or may berupturable to expose the slit 8 preparatory to a dispensing operation.In case of a rupturable strip 15 the same may be provided with a zipstring (not shown) or the like to facilitate exposing the slit 8. If thestrip 15 is to be wholly or partly removed, preferably it features amargin portion that may be easily raised from the package wall, e.g. dueto lack of adhesion thereto, and used as a pull tag.

To open the package, the sealing strip 15 is first removed or ruptured,as above described, thus exposing the slit 8. The dispensing opening isestablished by pushing inwardly against the apex wall portion 12 at theslit 8 thus causing this wall portion to buckle inwardly into apermanent inward substantially opposite shape indicated in FIGS. 3 and4. When buckling the wall portion 12 inwardly, opposite walls 1 and 2.of the package in the vicinity of the package apex 9 where the slit 8 islocated may be pinched between the thumb and third finger while at thesame time pressing inwardly against the package apex wall portion 12with the forefinger. This deforms the apex wall portion 12 inwardly soas to cause it to buckle through an intermediate unstable positiondefining a plane passing through the package apex 9, and establish thedesired pouring lip 16, the contour of which is defined by the line ofslitting. In lieu of pouring out the contents, a drinking straw may beinserted into the opening.

If the tetrahedron package is less than completely filled, the level ofthe filling is such that it will be not higher, and preferably somewhatlower, than the dispensing opening established by the slit 8 when thepackage is so disposed that the package apex 9 in the vicinity of whichthe slit 8 is located faces upwardly as in FIG. 1. If the tetrahedronpackage is completely filled, but to less than its maximum volumetriccapacity, then the slit 8 will be located such that it will be above thelevel which will be assumed by the filling material when the interior ofthe package is exposed to atmospheric pressure.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the slit 8 has acurvilinear configuration. However, the slit may be otherwise configuredso long as it will establish an inwardly deformed wall portion whenpressed inwardly. In FIG. 5 the slit is seen to be constituted by twodownwardly convergent rectilinear slit lines 17, 18 which meet at apoint 19 to establish a V-shaped slit with the apex of the V pointingaway from the package apex 11 at which it is located. As with the otherembodiment first described, the wall 3 may be creased at 20 equidistantbetween the slit lines 17, 18 from the point 19 upwards so that the apexwall portion at the slits 17, 18 will more readily fold inwardly as apressure is applied to them or the walls 1 and 2 may be creased alonglines corresponding to lines 14 shown in FIG. 1.

One practical way of forming the necessary slit in the package wall isto cut the same into the packaging material in conjunction with ittransformation from web to tubular form as the packages are formed andfilled. If the package forming and filling machine is capable of what iscommonly known as registered operations," the slit can be cut into thepackaging material as it is made into a web and rolled up. In eithercase the cut edges of the slit may be wicking-proofed through coating orimpregnation with a suitable material, and the restoring strip appliedto the package wall material in conjunction with the cutting of theslit. In conclusion, it will be seen that I have provided a simple,inexpensive and yet very effective and practical construction for adispensing opening in a package of the type described.

In addition to its opening feature, the dispensing means according tothe invention ofiers an inherent reclosing feature. Since the packageapex wall portion at the slit when opening the package is caused tobuckle into its inward stable it is possible to make it buckle in theopposite direction to reassume its original shape. Such rebuckling maybe eifected through applying a slight pressure to the packaging apex 9in the direction of the other package apex at the same sealing fin 6while simultaneously slightly swinging the adjacent portion of the fin 6along its inner boundary line towards either of the two triangular walls1 and 2 meeting at said line, until said apex wall portion 12 will snapinto its closed position. Conveniently, said pressure to the packageapex 9 is ap plied by the forefinger, while the thumb resting againstthe outer cut edge of the fin 6 at a distance from the apex 9 affectsthe inward folding of the adjacent fin portion. In case of a sealing andrestoring strip 15 to be removed only partially preparatory to thedispensing operation such strip may be used substantially to reseal thepackage after rebuckling said apex wall portion 12 into its originalshape, if the strip has a reusable adhesive on its inner face.

While two practical embodiments of the invention have been described andillustrated, other modifications as to slit configuration, restoringstrip, slit cut edge, wickingproofing, etc. may be adopted without,however, departing from the spirit and scape of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tetrahedron package containing a fluent filling material, saidpackage being characterized by four triangular walls and means fordispensing said fluent filling material from said package, saiddispensing means being comprised of a slit through three adjacenttriangular walls in the vicinity of a package apex, said slit having aconfiguration such as to develop an inwardly deformable apex wallportion separable from the remainder of the wall to establish adispensing opening, and outer means sealing said slit and substantiallyrestoring the initial mechanical properties of the unslitted packagewall material, said sealing and restoring means being inactivatable toexpose said slit preparatory to a dispensing operation.

2. A tetrahedron package having a dispensing opening as defined in claim1 and wherein said slit by which the opening is formed is curvilinear.

3. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 2 wherein said curvilinearslit has its center of curvature located in the direction of saidpackage apex.

4. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 2 wherein said curvilinearslit is symmetrical to each side of a bisector line to the apex of theintermediate one of said three adjacent triangular walls.

5. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 4 wherein said package wallis creased along said bisector line from said curvilinear slit in thedirection of said package apex.

6. A tetrahydron package having a dispensing opening as defined in claim1 and wherein said slit by which the opening is formed has a V-shapedconfiguration, the point of the V facing away from said package apex.

7. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 6 wherein said V-shapedslit is symmetrical to each side of a bisector 8. A tetrahedron packageas defined in claim 7 wherein said package wall is creased along saidbisector line from said slit in the direction of said package apex.

9. A tetrahedron package having a dispensing opening as defined in claim1 and wherein the two opposite ones of said three adjacent triangularwalls each are creased along a line from said slit in the direction ofsaid package apex, said crease lines defining a plane of instability tobe passed through by said apex wall portion at the slit when deformedinwardly into its dispensing position.

10. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 9 wherein said twoopposite triangular walls are creased each along a line connecting therespective end of said slit with said package apex.

11. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 1 and wherein the packagewall material comprises an outer layer soakable with said fillingmaterial, the cut edges of said slit being treated to prevent wicking ofsaid filling material into the package wall at the slit.

12. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 11, wherein said slit cutedges are coated with a sealing material.

13. A tetrahedron package as defined in claim 11, wherein said slit cutedges are impregnated with a sealing material.

jacent triangular walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSCartwright Feb. 6, 1951 Schneider Sept. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS FranceOct. 6, 1958

